United News of Bangladesh

Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Thursday urged people of the country to pray for the recovery of Inquilab Moncho spokesperson Osman Hadi who was shot in the head on December 10.  “You all please pray for our younger brother Osman Hadi so that he can recover and come back to us. Please also pray for him after Juma prayers tomorrow. Pray for him with sincerity,” he said while talking to reporters at the Secretariat . He also urged followers of other religions to pray for Hadi. Meanwhile, Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) Vice President Abu Shadik Kayem on Monday demanded the resignation of the home adviser if three demands, including the arrest of those involved in the attempt to kill Osman Hadi, are not met. When journalists drew his attention to the progress in arresting those involved in the attack and to the resignation demand, the Home Adviser declined to make any comment

Chief Justice Dr Syed Refaat Ahmed paid a courtesy call on President Mohammed Shahabuddin at Bangabhaban on Wednesday. Shabbir Ahmed Akunjee, private secretary to the Public Division secretary at the President’s Office, shared the information with the media. During the meeting, the Chief Justice expressed his sincere gratitude to the President for his cooperation and support in discharging his constitutional duties. He also briefed the President on the key initiatives and activities undertaken during his tenure. President Shahabuddin praised the Chief Justice’s long and illustrious career, highlighting his professionalism, integrity and significant contributions to the establishment of justice and the rule of law.

Bangladesh pace bowler Mustafizur Rahman will return home for eight days during the Indian Premier League to play a limited-overs series against New Zealand.  Mustafizur was signed by Kolkata for 9.20 crore rupees at the IPL auction, the highest price ever paid for a Bangladeshi player. However, he will not be available for the full tournament, which runs from March 26 to May 31. New Zealand are scheduled to tour Bangladesh in April for three one-day internationals and three Twenty20 matches. Mustafizur becomes most expensive Bangladeshi at IPL auction BCB’s cricket operations chief Nazmul Abedin said Mustafizur would return to Bangladesh specifically to play the ODI series. Bangladesh’s decision is driven by qualification concerns for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Only the top nine teams in the ICC rankings by February 15, 2027, will earn direct entry. Bangladesh are currently ranked tenth. Nazmul dismissed concerns that switching from the T20 intensity of the IPL to ODIs could be difficult for Mustafizur, suggesting the opposite might be true.    

Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam will brief the diplomats stationed in Dhaka on Thursday afternoon. The briefing is scheduled to begin at State Guesthouse Padma at 3pm, a senior official told UNB. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has invited all heads of diplomatic missions and the UN Resident Coordinator's Office to attend the briefing session. India summons Bangladesh envoy over security concerns However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in its note verbale did not mention any specific agenda. It seems that the Foreign Secretary will brief the diplomats on the current situation in Bangladesh, a diplomatic source told UNB.

Sometimes, even legends need a moment to adjust. Nathan Lyon did not just take a wicket in Adelaide on Thursday morning against England. He crossed a line that had stood for nearly two decades — and did it with a delivery so perfect that it briefly unsettled one of Australia’s greatest fast bowlers in the commentary box. Lyon’s dismissal of Ben Duckett early on the second day of the Adelaide Test carried history with it. With that ball, the off-spinner moved past Glenn McGrath to become Australia’s second-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket, behind only Shane Warne. For McGrath, who was on commentary duty for the BBC, the moment arrived with uncomfortable familiarity. Lyon had already drawn level with McGrath’s tally earlier in the over, when Ollie Pope fell cheaply. Two balls later, Duckett faced what many off-spinners spend a career chasing: a delivery that pitched on a teasing length, drew the front foot forward, spun sharply past the bat and clipped the off stump. Duckett stood still, briefly confused, before walking off. In the commentary box, Adam Gilchrist summed it up simply: Duckett looked “bewildered.” McGrath, momentarily, looked no less so. Cameras caught him lifting his hands to his head, then half-rising from his chair as if to throw it aside, before stopping himself. The reaction was theatrical, but the smile that followed told the fuller story. Records are meant to fall, and Lyon had earned this one properly. For context, McGrath had held that position since retiring in 2007, finishing with 563 wickets from just over one hundred Tests. Lyon surpassed him in his one hundred and forty-first match, having spent months stuck on the same tally amid selection frustrations and limited opportunities, especially in day-night Tests dominated by pace. His return in Adelaide was decisive. Two wickets in his first over, history rewritten, and a reminder that Test cricket has its own sense of timing.

Miscreants set fire to Grameen Bank office at Sharshadi Bazar in Feni Sadar upazila early Thursday. The fire damaged three motorbikes and furniture on the office premises. Police said the miscreants poured petrol from outside the main gate and ignited the fire around 3:30am. Seeing the fire at the stairway, the security guards started screaming seeking help. Hearing this, some officials who stay on the second floor of the same building informed fire service personnel who later brought the fire under control. Branch manager Ashok Kumar Debnath said the miscreants had jumped off the boundary wall to enter the premises before setting fire to the gate area. Grameen Bank office set on fire in Kushtia Locals initially helped control the fire before firefighters arrived, he said. Feni Model Police Station Inspector (investigation) Sajal Kanti Dash said police visited the spot after receiving information. The bank authorities lodged a complaint in this regard and action would be taken accordingly, he added.

BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia’s health condition remains stable without any change, her personal physician Dr AZM Zahid Hossain said on Thursday, expressing hope that her condition will gradually improve. “Her condition is stable, Alhamdulillah. She has so far been able to receive all the treatment prescribed by the doctors properly,” Dr Zahid said while briefing reporters outside Evercare Hospital. Dr Zahid Hossain, who is also a BNP Standing Committee member, said Khaleda Zia’s physical condition has remained at the same level as it was a few days ago. “Alhamdulillah, this has made the doctors and everyone involved in her treatment, including all of us at the hospital, very hopeful. Insha’Allah, Madam Begum Khaleda Zia will gradually recover,” he added. Khaleda Zia’s health yet to improve, London trip ‘on hold’ The BNP chief has been undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital since November 23. She was shifted to the hospital’s Critical Care Unit on November 27 due to multiple health complications. Her treatment is being supervised by a medical board led by Professor Shahabuddin Talukder, with the involvement of both local and foreign specialist doctors.

Bus services from three terminals in Cumilla city remained suspended on Thursday as the Cumilla Bus Owners Association enforced a strike to press home their demands, causing severe inconvenience to passengers. No buses left the Jangalia, Shasangacha and Chakbazar bus terminals since morning, halting bus movement on nearly 40 routes in the district. Both inter-district and long-distance services including those on Cumilla-Dhaka, Cumilla-Chattogram, Cumilla-Sylhet and Cumilla-Chandpur routes remained suspended. The strike was called demanding a halt to the operation of Aidi Paribahan on the Cumilla-Chandpur route from the Jangalia bus terminal. Transport leaders alleged that thousands of buses and minibuses use the city’s three terminals every day but Aidi Paribahan has been attempting to operate from the terminals without proper route permits. Aidi Paribahan Chairman Mir Parvez Alam alleged that the company began operating buses on the Cumilla-Chandpur route in 2023 after obtaining permission from the Chandpur Deputy Commissioner’s office. However, he claimed that a syndicate of the Cumilla bus owners’ group obstructed their operations from the outset, resulting in the Cumilla district administration not issuing a route permit. He said that since February this year, Aidi Paribahan has been forced to operate its services from Paduar Bazar Bishwaroad, about two kilometres away, instead of using the Jangalia terminal. Despite no legal barriers, the company has yet to receive a no-objection certificate from the Cumilla district administration, he alleged. Bus strike enters day 2 in Mymensingh division Executive Vice-President of the Cumilla Bus Owners Association Md Tajul Islam said that although Aidi Paribahan had obtained permission from Chandpur district administration it failed to secure a route permit from Cumilla and despite this, the company has been trying to use Cumilla’s bus terminals. When the attempt was made again on Thursday, all three terminals were kept closed from the morning, he said, adding that they would not resume services until the issue is settled. The suspension of bus services caused severe hardship for office-goers, students and long-distance travellers. Many passengers were seen heading to their destinations using alternative modes of transport at higher fares.

Opsonin Pharma Limited, one of the country’s leading pharmaceutical manufacturers, held its Annual Sales Conference 2026 on Thursday at the International Convention Centre, Bashundhara. The company has recorded consistent and notable sales growth over the past several years and maintained this momentum throughout 2025, said a press release on Thursday. According to the IMS Report for the second quarter of 2025, Opsonin Pharma currently ranks among the top-performing pharmaceutical companies in terms of sales in Bangladesh. Alongside meeting domestic market demand, the company has also been expanding its international presence by exporting pharmaceutical products to a number of countries worldwide. The conference was attended by all field-level officials of the company. Among the distinguished participants were Opsonin Pharma Chairman Captain (Retd) Abdus Sabur Khan, Managing Director Abdur Rauf Khan, Deputy Managing Director Abdur Rakib Khan, Director (Sales and Marketing) Md Abdul Momen Talukdar, Assistant General Managers (Sales) Md Mahmudul Haque and Debojite Chandra Bhowmick, and Assistant General Managers (PMD) Taj Md Aga Menon and Md Akhtar Hossain, along with other senior officials. During the programme, Director (Sales and Marketing) Md Abdul Momen Talukdar presented an overview of the current pharmaceutical market scenario, highlighting marketing strategies and the company’s future vision. He also outlined Opsonin Pharma’s goals, objectives and strategic policy directions aimed at ensuring sustainable growth and further strengthening its leadership position in the market.

Police recovered the hanging body of a leader of National Citizen Party (NCP) from a female student hostel in the capital’s Hazaribagh area early Thursday. The deceased was identified as Jannatara Rumi, 30, joint coordinator of the NCP’s Dhanmondi thana unit and daughter of Md Jakir Hossain of Nazirpur under Patnitala upazila in Naogaon district. Hazaribagh thana police said being informed at around 4:10am, a team from the police station rushed to the spot and recovered her hanging  body from a room on the fifth floor of Jannati Female Student Hostel at Zigatola Old Kachabazar Road. The room was found locked from the inside, police said. Hazaribagh police station Officer-in-Charge Hafizur Rahman said Rumi used to live alone in the room of the five-storey hostel. After preparing the inquest report, the body was sent to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy, the OC said. Police said it is yet to be ascertained whether the death was a case of suicide or murder and it is under investigation.